Bismarck weekly tribune., 1887-09-23
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lNly NJliSJlll llFAy1Nlia93ll " ~ y M AN
"a cYcllsT FINDS TOXIC sWELLs
so FllGLlsH, /, YOU KNOW
~ Fashion able nIikado BAH Bereft Of
Il Local Costume and Color-The London
Drawl Transplanted to the East-Whas
American Legations Lack. 4
n Last December, when at Yokohama, the
fame Of my bicycle tour around the world,
just then completed, attracted considerable
notice in Toxic. a japanese gentleman
named Suyematsu, occupying some high
official position at the capital, sent me down
his card together with an invitation to come
up to a swell ball that was coming off on
Monday evening. Expecting to see something
Of q compromise between the Geisha Of
Japan and European dances, readily
accepted the invitation. An hours ride
by rail and ten minutes by iiurikisha
through the level streets OF Trldo brought me
to the Rokumi Kwan, swell European like
club house, where all the high toned hops Of
Toxic take place. The Rokumi Kwan stood
in the middle of q large flower garden, food
Of light streamed through the windows and
tho strains Of q European orchestra greeted
the ear. The jiurikisha noolie halted beneath
the big portico and a funky in swallow
tAiisd coat, patent leather highlows and
white cotton gloves promptly advanced and
requested my card. There was nothing jap
anese about this individual but his face and
shape. The delightful Difference and more
than French politeness that had charmed me
from beginning to end of my 800 mile ride
through Japan had been snpplanted by the
formal stiffness of an English 'tperson." Plac-
ing my card and that Of Mr.. Suyematsu on
the proffered salver, I requested the imita-
ion English footman to seek out the latter
gentleman and hand him my card. While
he departed on his errand loitered in the en-
trance Several other funkies, all in the
conventional swallow tails and snowy gloves,
selves upon the fact that my boots were only
plain impatient calf, and my black diagonal
coat OF other shape than theirs, and the
servants were SO startlingly English, you
know, that was prepared at once for
sundry notifications in what I had
been expecting to see at the ball.
] was scarcely e~ared, however. for the ex-
treme English lines of behavior and deport-
ment adopted by everybody present. Mr..
Suyematsu, whom had been picturing as
coming out to me, with the profuse polite
ness of his countrymen in general whom I
had met, turned up in the shape of young
man about 25. The only difference in bis ap-
pearance from the flunkies was button hole
bouquet and diamond studs, except that he
allowed his thick, black hair to fall a la
neglige about his eyes.
:Er-aw, Mr.. Stevens, the er, er, bee-see-
clistW Mr.. Suyematsu said in the finest
drawl ever heard outside of London. ssEr-
aw, cam ap." Mr.. Suyematsu's manner quite
nonplused me for the moment. For the last
month had been knocking about emong his
countrymen and had found, every one of them
profusely polite and deferential. Instead of
bowling his head nearly to the floor, as had
expected, Mr.. Suyenatsu merely advanced
languidly, as though it were rather of bore
to have to come down these beastly stairs,
don't you know, and drawled out an invita-
tion to come up I didn't know under the cir.
cumstances whether I had better accept his
invitation to ''cam ap" or not I pointed out
to him that had on neither swallow tailed
coat, white gloves, nor patent leathe: shoes,
"Er-aw. nevah mind, er, cam ap," replied
Mr.. Suyematsu So, following his guidance.
we entered an ante chamber, where a number
Of young and middle aged representatives of
<"New japan" were lounging about smoking
cigarettes. Mr.. Suyematsu introduced me ia
Count This, Viscount That and Mr. So and So
as 'el-aw, Mr. Stevens, the er-bee-see-clist." !"
Many of these gentlemen could talk English
quite tiuently; some of them had been edu.
Gated i'll America; some in England. One or
two OF them had been on diplomatic servict
in Europe. All were as thoroughly English a.
Mr. Suyematsu himself. Some even sur
passed Mr. Sryematsu in the perfection Of
their drawl, and put him rather in the shads
by regarding lie through the medium of
big round eyeglass Some of the gentle
men towards the other end of the room
contented themselves by adjusting their
eyeglasses and surveying me across the
length of the room. Every one Of
these Toxic exouisites had mastered the art
of appearing insufferably bored with things
In general, and only to be mildly awakened
by a ball or something very novel. Some
were undoubtedly men of brains and energy,
but they were now in society and their con
versation consisted Of the merest common.
place remarks. "Er-aw M. Stevens has been
round the-er-aw world" one would remark.
Vans, er-aw, long Journey" would be the
drawing reply Mr.. Suyematsu got of a
mild joke OH Count B ----. The count. with.
out deigning to remove his eye glass or smile
at the witticisln. explained to me, "Er.he.
er-aw ioked.' Several army officers were
there III gay regimentals These seemed lesa
dudish and more inclined for intelligent con
versati7n, but they had not learned well thei,
part They had not yet acquired proficiency
In concealing their brains and in appearing
indolently indifferent to things in general, al,
though some of them had mastered the draw)
and the eye glass to perfection.
But why do people initiate the Britisher a,
all? Tie Japs are popularity understood to
regard America with more favor than any
other country, As they will initiate some
western state Of society, why don't they affect
the purely Americana The reason is moi
very far to seek. Through side door Mr.,
Suyematsu led the way into one end of the
ball room. Here about 100 couples were
gracefully threading the measures of waltz
polka, square and round dances-all Euro
pean. Every Japanese lady on the floor wa.
/ dressed in full ball room costume. ONLY on,
or two onlookers at the end Of the room wer.